Giving the 'Cuban Copy' Habano Sun Grown from Cuban Crafters another shot. The first one I smoked didn't impress me, so I pulled a couple out and left them in the low RH humi for a bit.
TL;DR version: leather, wood, spice. Fantastic $3 cigar.
First few draws...nice but typical Habano wrap/Nic filler flavors. A teeny bit harsh through the nose.
About 1" in...man...I have GOT to start resisting the temptation of trying a cigar ROTT. This is a very tasty smoke so far. Good burn with only 1 minor correction, nice white ash, slow burner. Now onto the flavor...it's really nice. I don't have one of those distinguished palates that can taste
hints of 7 yr aged Madagascar vanilla, but this is one tasty cigar. Prominent leather flavor on the draw, woodsy on the finish. Leather is one of those flavors that I thought could only be tasted by cigar snobs, but apparently I was wrong.
About 2" in...dominant flavors are still the same, but a very strong anise flavor has come in on the finish. As I sit typing with the cigar between my teeth, the aroma coming from the foot is very nice. It is a woodsy aroma that matches the flavor of the finish.
Around halfway...burn has been damn near straight as an arrow since the first correction. The leathery flavor is still there on the draw and the nose exhale, and the anise flavor on the finish has intensified. It's very present on the palate between draws.
A little past halfway...one more minor burn correction. This cigar has burned really well so far. The leather flavor is gone, having been replaced by the typical flavors for this type of blend. I call it 'Nicaraguan spice.' Y'all know what I'm talking about...that 'strong' Habano wrap, Nic filler flavor made famous by Don Pepin and AJ Fernandez.
Toward the end...Nicaraguan spice on the draw and through the nose, STRONG anise flavor on the finish. The anise flavor is *almost* too much, but never gets to the point of unpleasantness. Let 'er die at just over 1".
Final thoughts...this was, legit, one of the best $3 cigars I've ever smoked. I may just have to snag 10 more bundles and bury them in the cabinet.
